


It's Hard Not Being Your Friend

by AkisMusicBox



Category: Skip Beat!
Genre: Don't copy to another site, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Obligatory visit to the shrine, becoming friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-01
Updated: 2019-07-01
Packaged: 2020-06-02 05:06:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,482
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19434529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AkisMusicBox/pseuds/AkisMusicBox
Summary: "I haven't had a proper friend for nearly six years. Not since..." Ren shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair, broken watch face glinting in the light.  "Not someone who's seen as much of me as you have. It's hard...thinking after all of this time, you don't even think of me as a friend. It's hard not being your friend."Kyoko's stomach lurched up to her throat as if she were stepping off a cliff. "Ren-kun. I would...like it very much if you would call me Kyoko-chan."





	1. Searching for Something

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much to kaname671 from the Skip Beat! Discord for beta reading this! I've been sitting on this fic for a long time, and all it took was a helpful beta reader to figure out what was missing :)

The day had started off innocently enough for Kyoko. Yashiro called her, asking if she would be so kind as to come over to the set of Ren's latest movie, and _"Would you bring him one of your delicious lunches?"_ The filming was proving particularly difficult for him for some reason, and Yashiro was convinced the care that she put into her meals would brighten his spirits. She happily obliged. She knew Yashiro somehow thought her presence would cure him, but Kyoko more believed in the power of nutrition. She didn't trust either of them to ensure Ren got the sustenance he needed.

_"It's hard not being your friend."_

Ren did look exhausted when she arrived. He was reviewing the scripts, his eyes glazed over, hunched in his dressing room chair in a way that made him look almost small.

"Mogami-san?" he said with a start as she entered the dressing room.

"Sorry!" she said, shrinking instantly. "I thought Yashiro-san told you? He asked me to bring you a proper lunch!" She fished a bento box out of her bag as proof.

It took him a moment, but the flash of recognition finally flickered in his eyes. "Right. It must have slipped my mind, I apologize. I can't seem to trust my memory lately." He took a moment to look at the box, and then up to Kyoko. "Would you...would you help me run through the script one more time?"

Kyoko's insides turned, not at the nature of the request, but the look in his eye when he asked. He looked almost lost. He was searching for something, for some understanding that he lacked. _Is he having trouble finding his character again? But, I didn't think he was in a romantic role this time._

Regardless, somehow he thought Kyoko might be able to help him find it, and while she doubted her own abilities, she couldn't turn him down. She couldn't tell him to find a more experienced actor to help him because she didn't trust him with anyone else at this moment. _Not when he looks like this. I...I have to be here._

"Yes," she said, finding herself a spot on the couch across from him. "But, only when you finish eating half of this!" She took the script from him and replaced it with the bento. She then dug in her purse and found a can of green tea. "And drink at least half of this!"

He almost seemed pleasantly surprised by her response. "I'll think I can manage that."

_"It's hard not being your friend."_

When he finished his agreed-upon amount of lunch, they dove into the script. She played Ren's character's childhood friend, reunited after a decade. Ren had nothing to worry about - his comprehension had been excellent, and Kyoko had been impressed with the emotional depth he could give, even with Kyoko's lackluster reading of the friend.

"That was perfect, Tsuruga-san! You're always the professional, able to rise to the occasion despite adversity." She stood and gave a small, polite bow. "I should let you finish getting ready, it's really not proper for me to be in here."

He leaned over and sighed, a sour look on his face. "After all this time..." he groaned.

"What? I-I'm sorry?" She was startled. I...I thought he was feeling better?

"I haven't had a proper friend for nearly six years. Not since..." He shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair, broken watch face glinting in the light. "Not someone who's seen as much of me as you have. It's hard...thinking after all of this time, you don't even think of me as a friend. It's hard not being your friend."

Her heart froze. That was...so incorrect. She thought so much more of him than that. It stunned her to think that he was concerned about how she thought of him. It was difficult to even comprehend the idea, but the sight of him made her disappointed that she hadn't seen it sooner. Only then did she realize that the most eligible bachelor in Japan was desperately lonely. _That's what he was searching for, not something for the character, but something for himself. And I didn't see it._ She truly was worthless.

He spoke again, once he recognized her stunned silence. "Sorry. I'm tired. Going from the script, and then hearing your formal tone...gave me whiplash." He shook his head. "I'm slipping; I'm sorry."

"I... you are very important to me. I didn't want to assume too much. I... don't know what I'd do without you, Tsuruga-kun." The last bit came out as a scared whisper. She did not want to cross a line that would make him uncomfortable.

His face lightened slightly, but there was still clearly a shadow cast over his soul. _That's not enough. I can't leave him like this._ Her stomach lurched up to her throat as if she were stepping off a cliff. "Ren-kun. I would...like it very much if you would call me Kyoko-chan."

There, finally, the clouds broke and his heart-wrenchingly beautiful smile emerged. His eyes filled with boyish hope "Thank you, Kyoko-chan. That means a lot to me."

_"It's hard not being your friend."_

The words still rang in her ears and made her heart pound weeks after he said it, injecting itself anytime she replayed the scene in her head. _That's not what's important now!_ _Now, I need to do everything I can to show him that he's wrong. To show him just how important he is to me._ That resolution filled her with fear and fire at the same time. But she couldn't afford to let the fear dictate her actions, because she couldn't see his face fall that low again. It would truly shatter her heart.

* * *

It was a struggle to change Ren's image in her mind from that of "senpai" to "friend". Calling him "Ren-kun" still made her nervous on occasion, but him calling her "Kyoko-chan" was restorative enough to keep her going. She already called him and texted him using emojis, but she realized that to be a friend was to actively invite them out to spend time together. Soon, she started inviting Ren on shopping trips with her - not for clothes or cosmetics, as the idea of Ren commenting on her appearance sent her heart soaring and plummeting almost simultaneously. She would take him grocery shopping, however, and used it as an opportunity to tease him nearly relentlessly about proper nutrition and cooking techniques. It didn't bring out his anger, however much she tried to provoke him. He almost seemed to enjoy it, and would respond occasionally, "And they sell that at 7-11, so what's the difference?", which would launch her into a full-blown lecture. She didn't quite believe it, but she thought he was positively _enjoying_ the abuse.

Their schedules did make it difficult for proper outings like those, so Kyoko resorted to inviting Ren out to Darumaya on slow nights at the restaurant, but not before teaching Ren the proper way to eat a fish. That was enough to make Taisho accepting of his lounging presence at the restaurant. Okami used that opportunity to get to know Ren a bit better. Kyoko had been afraid Ren would show her his perfectly-gentlemanly manners, but somehow they never emerged. He seemed positively relaxed, without the pretension and proper etiquette he usually employed in public. He wasn't rude by any means, but he was just...Ren the customer, and not Ren Tsuruga, top actor in Japan. The tension Kyoko had only recently noticed near his eyes seemed to dissipate when he entered the restaurant. He fielded Okami's questions honestly, but not diplomatically, employing more humor than he usually did with those kinds of questions. Eventually, Okami would prompt Kyoko to invite Ren to the restaurant, in particular, if she purchased a new tea she wanted him to try.

"If he was a real man, he'd be working, and not distracting himself by entertaining you," Taisho chided.

"He is working plenty! He's even given me a few hints as to some of the offers he's considering," Okami said with a conspiratorial smile. "He's a sweet young man, and he's spending the little free time he has with us. We should be grateful! Right, Kyoko-chan?"

Kyoko's cheeks burned at the question. "He - he seems to enjoy it here. I'm glad we can provide him a place to relax."

Neither the Taisho nor the Okami could have had any doubts about that response. Ever since then, Taisho had been strict about where Ren would sit from night to night. When the restaurant was slow, Ren would sit at the bar and Taisho would ask him brief, probing questions from time to time.

"Do you ever cook for yourself?"

"Not if I can help it."

"What kind of a job is acting?"

"One that I'm good at."

"Is beer generally your drink of choice?"

"I prefer whiskey, but I fear the Okami's questions will get me in trouble if I loosen my tongue too much. Nondisclosure agreements and all."

That got a hearty chuckle out of Taisho. "You here that? The boy's afraid of you." Okami just giggled as she shot Kyoko a look.

Other nights, Taisho stowed him away in a corner booth, where he would be hidden from most passing eyes. "We don't need rubberneckers and paparazzi disturbing the peace of this restaurant."

Kyoko nearly had a panic attack when Shotaro showed up one evening, claiming a need for pickled ginger. The two celebrities were engaged in passive-aggressive banter until Kyoko chewed them both out equally. "This is a restaurant, not an arena! Fuwa, unless you're eating the whole jar hear, leave! And Ren-kun, you're disturbing the other customers!"

Kyoko referring to him as "Ren-kun" seemed to take the wind out of Shotaro's sails enough to get him to leave with minimal grumbling. Ren was practically smiling the whole time as he finished his beer. She couldn't help but steal glances his way whenever she had the chance.

* * *

Ren invited her to a festival a local shrine, so after work, they walked together from LME. The shrine was already bustling with activity, so Kyoko was hopeful that not many of her coworkers would be able to spot the two together. _Yashiro is already ecstatic as the change of our address, while the President wasn't amused. "Tell me when something interesting develops," was his reaction. And this might be interesting enough for him to pique his attention._

A beautiful, not quite middle-aged woman approached Ren with a small smile. "Tsuruga-san! I'm surprised to see you here. I assumed that when you turned down my invitation tonight, that it meant you were working." Her tone was cordial, but Kyoko's insides began to freeze when she recognized the implication in her voice.

"Kana-san. I didn't mean to deceive you, I merely had made other arrangements," he said with a shrug.

She raised an eyebrow, "I guess arrangements with your kohai are important, but I would have thought that after we had drinks together, you might have changed them to accommodate me." Her lips took on a bit of a pout. _What...drinks...oh. Oh no. Oh no oh no oh no._ The thought raced through her head until Ren put his hand on her back. Her mind blanked.

"Kyoko and I are not here in a mentorship or work capacity. You and I did have an enjoyable evening at the bar with Kijima-san, but you kissing me, unsolicited, doesn't entitle you to jump higher in my social circle and take priority."

Kyoko usually took the brunt of The Demon Lord's wrath, so being on the opposite side of it - no, being defended by it was a new and terrifying experience. Though a dazzling smile, The Demon Lord's ire oozed through his words.

The dissonance confused Kana. The Demon Lord continued his dark machinations. "I hope you enjoy the rest of the festival. Kyoko-chan?" The hand on her back guided her gently towards the food booths.

Still in shock, Kyoko asked breathlessly. "You kissed her?" She could nearly faint. To Kyoko's knowledge, she'd never come face-to-face with a person that Ren had kissed outside of work. She knew they existed, in numbers she didn't want to consider, but she'd never had to face that truth in the flesh.

His tone became serious. "She kissed me. Please believe me, it was as unexpected and unwanted as Fuwa's advances on you."

Her insides began to thaw. His assertion came with the understanding that she did not appreciate Shotaro's actions. It was crucial to Kyoko that Ren understand that.

"Right. Okay. Takoyaki - let's, let's get some takoyaki..." she stammered. She came back to her senses when Ren tried to insist on paying for all of their snacks. She was adamant that friends split the cost, and the lecture she went in to drew the attention of the other two LoveMe members.

"Chiori! Moko!" Kyoko said with inordinate enthusiasm. Normally, she would have been mortified, as her and Ren being alone together would have been enough fodder for their teasing later on, but at this moment she felt it would protect her all the better from the stare of Kana.

Kanae sighed. "This is a festival, not a performance, Kyoko! What are you being so rowdy about?"

"Ren-kun is trying to pay for everything, even though real friends split the cost!" Her face burned to call him "Ren-kun" in front of them, but she feared to back off their closeness in front of her other friends would set Ren down a dark path.

"I mean, she's not wrong," Kanae said reluctantly.

"However!" Chiori said with a gleeful grin. "If one guy is hanging out with a small group of girls, especially if he's successful, it's only gentlemanly that he'd treat them all."

Ren grinned. "I like the way you think, Amamiya-san."

"WHAAAT?!" Kyoko yelled, but before she could protest, Chiori was already making her snack preferences well-known.

Kyoko grabbed Kanae with panic. "Is that even true?" she asked.

Kanae shrugged. "I'm not really sure from personal experience, but from what I can glean...generally that's how the guy curries favor with the girl's friends." Kanae couldn't help but flash a smirk at Kyoko.

* * *

The sheer quantity of food Tsuruga ended up purchasing even seemed excessive to Kanae, who was generally a proponent of putting some pressure on Tsuruga however she could.

"Chiori, we have to maintain our figures. What were you thinking?!" she said with a scowl, staring at the piles on the picnic table.

Chiori shrugged. "I just finished a job, so I'm ready to celebrate."

Tsuruga chuckled. This was the most content she'd ever seen the actor. The professional facade had been dropped for this time, and Kanae understood why Kyoko was trapped in his spell. Ren Tsugura was attractive, which was a given, but entertainers work with a lot of attractive people. His professional smile was particularly nice as well, but this smile - the smile of a person just happy to be included, was almost too much to bear. Kanae decided she hated him a little less for his behavior toward Kyoko. He wasn't trying to torture her on purpose. It was just that his genuine self was so beautiful, he couldn't be himself and not tempt her. _Like you are right now. Tsugura - can't you read her face right now?_

"I'm sorry to inadvertently sabotage you all," he said, slightly amused. "I sometimes forget the body pressure on actresses. Let me fetch some tea as an apology."

"I'll help you carry them," Kanae insisted before Kyoko could protest even more.

"Thank you, Kotonami-san," Ren said as they headed towards a booth. When sufficiently hidden by the crowd, Kanae grabbed Tsugura's sleeve and yanked him towards a quiet spot in a patch of trees. He followed her direction wordlessly, and she hoped the tense aura she projected reached him. _Last thing he needs to think is one more girl is trying to jump all over him._

When sufficiently secluded, she faced him with a glare. "Tsugura-san, I know you're my senpai in many aspects, but I'm Kyoko's best friend, so I'm your senior in this regard. I need you to listen to me."

He nodded obediently. She was almost intimidated by his height, fearing the wrath of The Demon Lord she'd only ever seen glimpses of. But I can be a demon too. Just you watch.

"You need to stop getting Kyoko's hopes up if you're just going to dash them," she accused with a scowl.

He blinked. "I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about. I'm only trying to -"

Kanae pointed at him. "Cut the crap! I'm already angry that I don't know what this shift to '-kun' and '-chan' is, so I'm trying to keep my composure. But you can't tell me you don't see what it does to her when you call her 'Kyoko-chan'."

His eyes went wide. "What...what do you mean?" he asked tentatively.

 _Are you kidding me?!_ She snickered. "Wow. You can't see that? I guess it makes sense that you two are just as dense when it comes to each other." She put her hand on her forehead, trying to think of the best way to explain it without betraying Kyoko. "It's like...before, she was warming her hands by the fire. It was enough to keep her going. She could deal with the cold. But now, every time you call her '-chan', she's holding her hand over a flame. It warms her hand thoroughly, but she's risking getting burnt every time."

A strong gust of wind could have knocked him over. _I have to spell it out even more?_ She continued, "You at least are aware of her tragically low self-esteem when it comes to her effect on men? And her personal appearance?"

He gave a slight nod.

She rolled her eyes. "That's at least something to work with. Okay, then you could figure that she wouldn't find herself worthy of even being friends with the industry's number one actor? And how she couldn't possibly think she'd even deserve to be seen standing next to Japan's number one bachelor?"

He nodded again.

"Despite her being absolutely wrong, in that regard," Kanae said nodding in agreement. "You can understand where she's coming from. And why I'm warning you now. She already feels like she's overstepping anything she deserves. She's flying too close to the sun, and the wax on her wings is going to melt soon."

"That's not true," he said, eyes not able to focus on Kanae. "But...I understand." Kanae smiled internally but flinched when he bowed to her, bending from the waist.

"Thank you, Kotonami-san," he said. She almost feared the move sarcastic, and that he would pop up and have her face The Demon Lord in full force.

Instead, he continued, "I'm happy that Kyoko has someone looking out for her like you do. Someone who can be so honest. I hope I'm lucky enough to have a friend like that in my life someday."

Still wincing, she thought, _They're really similar on the inside, but they act on it in totally different ways._ "Well...I can be your friend in the meantime," she offered hesitantly. He rose halfway, a half-shocked, half-amused look in his eye. She looked to the side. "But Kyoko always comes first. Always!"

He smiled. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

_Stop it! Stop making me want to be nice to you!_

"Stand up!" she snapped. "We have to go get some tea. Can't keep your precious '-chan' waiting!"


	2. A Few Weeks Later

The rain was pouring sideways when Ren was driving home. Owning a car in Tokyo often was a bit extravagant, he realized, but his decision was reinforced based on the weather. The masses of pedestrians were huddled under umbrellas and walkways, scurrying into taxis as fast as they could to escape the wind and water.

 _And that poor soul, her umbrella is broken._ As Ren's car neared the soaking figure, he felt a dark and ominous wave overwhelming him. "It can't be..." he said, but he knew that aura, so he pulled over to the side of the road and rolled down his window. The sopping figure turned toward the car, glaring until she recognized the driver.

"Tsugu- Ren? Ren-kun?" She stammered, shivering and clutching the inside-out umbrella. Her hair and school uniform clung to her slim frame as if trying to steal all the warmth from her body.

"Get in, Kyoko-chan!" he called.

She scowled at him. "I'm not ruining your car! Roll up the window, you're going to catch a cold."

He sighed internally. _This girl will be the death of me._ "Not until you get in the car," he insisted. "Either we're both getting colds, or neither of us are."

She groaned and stuffed herself, her bag, and the remains of her umbrella in the back seat. "You can sit up front," he said over his shoulder.

She shook her head. "I've already ruined your back seat, I'm not ruining the passenger seat too!"

He conceded and started driving again. "What were you doing out in this weather?" he asked, watching her through his rear view mirror. Her anger was subsiding, leaving her shaking and pale. He wanted to pull over again and hold her. _One of these days, this madness is going to get the best of me._

"I...I'm really behind on my homework, and Darumaya was pretty busy, so I wanted to find a quiet place to study. It was only drizzling when I left the restaurant!"

"I was headed home anyway, so study at my place," he offered reflexively. "Plus, you could use a hot bath and some dry clothes. We can dry your uniform while you study."

He could see her trying to construct her argument, but her teeth started chattering, and she knew she'd lost before she began. "If it's not too much trouble," she grumbled.

* * *

Ren was trying to remember how a casual friend back from his days in America had said it, but it was something like, _"I don't get the appeal of women in lingerie. I prefer them in sweats. I just want to know they're comfy!"_ Ren hadn't known if the guy was joking or not, but considering that he couldn't even remember the guy's name, he was doubtful he'd remember the context now. Regardless, Ren found himself agreeing with that sentiment. Kyoko was wearing a pair of his silk pajamas - one of the few pairs of his clothes that could be adjusted to offer her as much modesty as possible. His mixed heritage had made him a good foot taller than her, and considerably broader, so most of his clothing would drape off of her as if she were trying to seduce him. After taking a hot shower, she was able to roll up the pajamas and tuck them in a way that didn't entirely dwarf her. She had wrapped her hair in a towel as well, completing the effect of "cozy". Then and only then did her clothes go in his dryer, and that was strictly because she put them there - she wouldn't allow him to touch her clothes.

Ren had been thankful for that, and he refused to analyze any further why. _Maybe I am the pervert she thinks I am - or at least that Dark Kuon acts towards her._ He busied himself making tea instead and finding some music to help her focus. It seemed to have the desired effect - Kyoko was on his couch, cross-legged, captured in her history textbook, oblivious to Ren reading a script at the bar in the kitchen. Every so often, he'd catch her biting her thumb, or scowling, or smirking triumphantly. _She must be seeing it in her head like a movie._ His internal smile found it's way out. Despite the various costumes and roles she'd taken on in her short career, it was like this that stirred his heart the most.

He knew it wasn't the implication of the scene - he had known what it was like to be stirred by Kyoko in that way. Setsuka had proven that to him, and as there was a truth of Cain in Ren, there was Setsu in Kyoko. No, it was how comfortable she was, and he realized he always wanted her to be comfortable in his apartment. He wanted it to be her second home, where she was welcome to everything in it. _Including it's owner?_ he thought to himself. He smacked himself in the forehead and sighed. _Would Takarada say it's wise to know yourself, or would he smack me for preying on a young girl?_ The fact that he would turn to the President for insight showed himself just how far he'd gone.

Who else could he turn to? Yashiro would be the ultimate enabler, same as Kijima. _Kotonami...she understands Kyoko, but not me. She doesn't understand the sun is beating down on my wings as well._

His eyes were glazed as he stared at his script. He felt a strong sense of disapproval radiating toward him when he looked up to find Kyoko, turned around on the couch, staring daggers at him. "You haven't turned a page in minutes! I know for a fact you're not actually reading that script!"

His heart skipped a beat. His mouth was slightly dry when he finally mustered, "You've been watching me for minutes?" He meant it to come out snarky, just enough of a tease to earn him a lecture. Just enough to get her to focus on him for a few minutes more. Instead, the question was innocent - the one thing he knew Kyoko didn't think Ren Tsuruga was capable of being.

She turned impossibly red, clutching the back of the couch as tight as she could, but she didn't hide. She didn't argue, or run away, or come up with an excuse. And her eyes kept watching him.

"I would like that," he said finally, the words thick in his mouth. _What the hell am I saying?_ "If that's something that makes you happy, I want you to."

 _Ren Tsuruga, the most eligible bachelor in Japan, is a fucking moron,_ he thought as the blush rose in his face. _When was the last time I blushed like a school girl? In front of a chicken?_

To his surprise, Kyoko stood and approached him. They watched each other carefully as she approached, waiting for any sign that this was a bad idea. It didn't come by the time she reached his side. He'd have normally stood, he realized at this point. Any other girl who had approached him with that kind of look in his eye, he'd quickly meet and tower over her. Because Ren Tsuruga was larger than life, and even then he didn't want to give a lackluster performance.

He didn't stand, because in his slumped position, Kyoko stood taller than him. He didn't want to overwhelm her, to envelope and consume her. He wanted to look up into her golden eyes and see the way they shone.

She reached a tentative hand out, and he couldn't breathe again until it finally touched his cheek. That was all it took - the slightest brush of her fingertips, and he was on his feet, kissing her. He wanted to wrap his arms around her, but he kept his palms flat on the counter. He'd make a compelling argument, but he wouldn't make her decision for her.

It would have been disappointing how quickly she agreed if they hadn't been doing this dance for so long. Her lips parted eagerly as she held his face in her hands. One of his arms wrapped around her waist, while the other hand trailed up her back, resting at the nape of her neck. She pressed herself against him and a thrill surged through him. He extended his fingers to wrap them in her hair, forgetting it was bound in a towel. The towel fell to the ground, and their faces parted, startled, however, their bodies were still entwined. They watched each other for a moment, ensuring the other wouldn't balk. When they didn't, both mustered relieved chuckles. He felt her sway a bit in his arms, so he guided her back to the couch, realizing he was a bit dizzy himself. He held her hand.

He could have been drunk - he would have very much believed it if he was. The state of euphoria would have been easily explained with appropriate inebriation. As well as his willingness to say, "Kyoko...I love you. Have been in love with you. And I think you love me too."

He had tried to picture this moment, whenever he'd have the courage to confess his feelings. At the party for her graduation from high school. When she won her first award for acting. At the premiere of her first starring role in a movie. In all of these things, she'd be at the top of the world, celebrating her achievement, and he'd be at her side, being her greatest fan. She wouldn't be in baggy clothes, hair half-soaked. Her eyes would have believed him, instead of questioning in tired, stunned silence. She put a palm on her forehead. _She thinks she has a fever. She is afraid this isn't real._ He smiled gently at her, taking comfort that this indeed was Kyoko Mogami and not an illusion of his own mind.

Convinced she was lucid, she lowered her hand, and with halting words, said, "I've loved you too. Love you too. As hard as I've tried to not to..."

"I'd rather you stop fighting it," he said, squeezing her hand. "Because I can't keep fighting it anymore." He gave her a crooked smile. "It'd make things rather one-sided."

She shocked him again when she leaned forward and buried her face in her chest. He wrapped his arms around her reflexively, but he was afraid. _What was she hiding? Why doesn't she want me to see her face?_

He answered her with a sigh in to his chest. "I...I've wanted to do this. For a long time." She wrapped her arms around him as well and sunk into him. It was as if she had come home after a tiring day at work, looking for some sort of rest.

"Are...are you okay?" He asked, not sure if he understood her correctly.

She peeked up from his chest, a shy smile. "I am now...Ren-kun."

 _"But you can't tell me you don't see what it does to her when you call her 'Kyoko-chan'."_ He had thought he knew, he had hoped he recognized how it made her hesitate as if it shook her to her core. Now he felt what Kotonami had meant - Kyoko could have knocked him over with a feather. She seemed...relaxed. There weren't a million thoughts rushing through her head. There weren't a thousand interpretations waiting at her lips. It was just her, looking up at him.

He leaned over and kissed her again - gently and slowly, as he finally realized there was no reason to rush. She wasn't going anywhere. She wasn't bolting. Her lips were soft and lingering against his. He hadn't realized how long they had been locked in that embrace, but when they finally parted, they were both out of breath. She was smiling, the same blissful smile he recognized as more of a reflex. It was a happiness that couldn't help but escape from her heart.

He realized her damp hair was forming a spot on his shirt, and he could have almost laughed. Laughed, because he couldn't have possibly thought he'd be in this position only a few hours ago. Laughed, because he could have never been happier to have damp clothes.

"You're...warm," she said, her eyelids closing halfway in almost a sigh.

"That's...a good thing, right?" he asked as he brushed a few locks of her hair off of her forehead.

"Mhm," she chuckled. "One of many."

One of the other many things he observed was how she fit to perfectly laying against him. "It...almost feels unreal."

Her expression became a bit more serious. "I know. It almost feels like one of us will break character soon."

"That's not possible for me. This...this is more real to me than my own name."

"I wasn't supposed to do this," her voice said, cracking. "I told myself I wouldn't let myself fall."

"We're both incredibly stubborn," he said, stroking her arm with a thumb. "Why would you or I listen to the part of you that wanted to keep us apart?"

"If you put it that way," she said, finally closing her eyes. "Then it makes perfect sense."


End file.
